Unveiled connection between vitamin D and contraceptive methods revealed
Smashing the Link Between Estrogen-Based Birth Control and Vitamin D
Cracking open a new revelation, it turns out that women who are popping estrogen-based birth control pills experience a rise in their circulating vitamin D. Conversely, women who discontinue these contraceptives confront a sharp drop in their vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D, renowned for its role in maintaining the perfect balance of calcium and phosphorous in the blood, also aids in the absorption of calcium, an indispensable bone component. Sources rich in Vitamin D including fish and eggs are aplenty. However, about 90% of our much-needed Vitamin D is produced naturally in our skin following exposure to sunlight.
Inadequate Vitamin D can trigger rickets and osteomalacia (softening of the bones). Given Vitamin D's pivotal role in bone formation, it's especially crucial during pregnancy.
Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, donning the hat of researcher at the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC, decided to explore possible links between Vitamin D levels and oral contraceptives.
Vitamin D and Contraception
Dr. Harmon and her team analyzed data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), a research project delving into women's reproductive health. The project utilized 1,662 African-American women aged 23-34 from Detroit, MI.
Participants were asked about their contraceptive use, including time outside and any Vitamin D supplements, and they gave blood samples to determine levels of the common circulating form of Vitamin D, known as 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
During pregnancy, women crank up the production of the active form of Vitamin D to support the growth of the fetus' skeleton. This production surge heightens the risks of Vitamin D deficiency and, consequently, bone-related issues.
"Our study found that women using contraception containing estrogen tend to have higher Vitamin D levels than other women," shared Dr. Harmon.
Even after controlling for factors that might confound the results, such as seasonal exposure to sunlight, the effect remained significant. According to Dr. Harmon, no outdoor behavioral differences could be detected to explain the rise in Vitamin D levels.
"Our findings suggest that contraceptives containing estrogen tend to boost Vitamin D levels, and those levels are likely to fall when women cease using these contraceptives," she added.
After adjustments for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was linked with 20% higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
Intriguingly, women currently using birth control had higher levels of Vitamin D, and past users had average Vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D Deficiency in Early Pregnancy
These findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, bring forth the possibility that a woman trying to get pregnant may become Vitamin D deficient. Dr. Harmon offers some insightful advice:
"For women who are planning to stop using birth control, it's a good idea to ensure that Vitamin D levels are adequate while trying to conceive and during pregnancy."
Medical News Today probed Dr. Harmon about why estrogen-based contraception might affect Vitamin D levels, and she offered some tentative explanations:
"We don't fully understand why Vitamin D levels are higher. Other research suggests that the levels of other Vitamin D metabolites are changed when women use estrogen-containing contraception, indicating that there may be alterations in Vitamin D metabolism. Further research is needed to verify this," Dr. Harmon concluded.
Dr. Harmon also hinted that she is continuing to study this group of women to delve deeper into the relationship between Vitamin D and contraception. Additionally, she is working on another group of participants to investigate how Vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle.
- The role of Vitamin D in maintaining a balance of calcium and phosphorus in the blood, as well as its contribution to the absorption of calcium, makes it an essential nutrient, especially during pregnancy.
- Inadequate Vitamin D can lead to health issues like rickets and osteomalacia, both of which involve the softening of bones, and it's vital to address this deficiency during pregnancy due to its pivotal role in bone formation.
- Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health, investigated the possible link between Vitamin D levels and oral contraceptives, focusing on a research project called the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF).
- The study analyzed data from 1,662 African-American women aged 23-34 from Detroit, MI, asking about contraceptive use, time outside, and any Vitamin D supplements, while taking blood samples to determine 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels.
- The findings revealed that women using contraception containing estrogen tend to have higher Vitamin D levels than other women, even after controlling for factors that might confound the results. The use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was linked with 20% higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
- For women planning to stop using birth control, ensuring adequate Vitamin D levels while trying to conceive and during pregnancy is advised, as this study raises the possibility that women stopping birth control may become deficient in Vitamin D.
